There are several organizations in British Columbia and across Canada that help to set standards of practice for Counsellors. Some of these associations provide their members with the benefit of a professional title like “Registered Professional Counsellor,” which helps demonstrate a counsellor’s expertise to potential clients.
FACTBC not only provides valuable documents and resources, but it is also working to make beneficial changes to the industry.
If you’re considering a rewarding career as a counsellor, read on to learn more about FACTBC.
Students in Counsellor Training Can Thank FACTBC for the Competency Profile
FACTBC originated as The Task Group for Counsellor Regulation in 1997. Since then, the group has grown to become the society now known as FACTBC. Throughout its long history, FACTBC has made some important contributions to the counselling profession. For example, it has created important resources like the Counselling Therapist Competency Profile. The Competency Profile aims to describe the competencies, knowledge, and abilities that entry-level counsellors need.
The Counselling Therapist Competency Profile’s purpose is to set a standard for the level of knowledge a counsellor needs to be able to perform their job and truly help clients (FACTBC, 2017). When developing the profile, FACTBC addressed its member associations using an online survey in order to determine the most important competencies counsellors need. With the help of this valuable feedback, FACTBC came up with 125 key competencies that are outlined in the document under four areas: Foundations, Communication and relationships, Professionalism, and Counselling Therapy Process (FACTBC, 2016).
Canadian Associations Involved with FACTBC
FACTBC is composed of a variety of associations under the counselling and therapy umbrella, and represents the interests of these organizations, advocating on their behalf. Some notable associations that are a part of FACTBC include the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada, the British Columbia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, the Canadian Art Therapy Association, and more (FACTBC, 2017).
The Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA) is also a member of FACTBC. Established in 1990, the CPCA certifies counsellors who meet high standards of education, clinical experience, and training, so clients across Canada can feel secure in their decision to hire a Registered Professional Counsellor. During your counselling training at Rhodes Wellness College, you will prepare for your RPC accreditation and membership in the CPCA. Obtaining your Registered Professional Counsellor designation will help demonstrate to your future clients your expertise and knowledge in the field of counselling.
Students in Counsellor Training Might Know FACTBC Is Working Towards Regulation
As awareness surrounding mental health improves, the stigma disappears, and more individuals seek the help of professional counsellors and therapists. As a result, the need for regulation grows increasingly apparent. Clients need to be able to know and trust that their counsellors have completed an in-depth program, have hands-on experience, and are qualified to safely and responsibly guide them through challenging times in their lives. In addition, students developing their counselling skills in Vancouver can also benefit from the added trust and authority that would come with province-wide regulation.
Regulation would help clients know that their counsellor is qualified to help
FACTBC is advocating for the government to regulate the counselling profession under British Columbia’s Health Professions Act (HPA). There are already 26 regulated health professions in the province, and FACTBC believes counselling deserves a rightful spot as number 27 (Martiquet, 2016). It would aim to regulate training, professional development, ethical and practice standards, issues surrounding liability insurance, and more (FACTBC, 2017). This could bring about improvements in the quality of counselling provided to clients, and also provide improvements for counsellors as well.
Are you interested in enrolling in a professional counselling diploma program or life skills training?
Contact Rhodes Wellness College today to learn more!
Works Cited
FACTBC. (2017). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.factbc.org/about-us/
FACTBC. (2017). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.factbc.org/faq/
FACTBC. (2017). Member Associations. Retrieved from http://www.factbc.org/member-associations/
FACTBC. (2016). Updated Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile for Counselling Therapists. Retrieved from http://www.factbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Competency-Profile_2016-06-20.pdf
Martiquet, P. (2016, December 15). Regulating counselling. Retrieved from http://www.coastreporter.net/community/columnists/regulating-counselling-1.4656374
